Railway-track gage.



No. 742,660. PATBNTLD 001227', 190s.

T. L. HOWELL. RAILWAY TRACK GAGE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1903.

e/qlfovxjeys 'are shown as mounted UNITED STATES Patented October 27, 1903.' y

RAILWAY-TRACK GAG E.v

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 742,660, dated October 27, 1903. Application led .Tuly 6, 1903. Serial No. 164,460. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. HOWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Smithfield, in the county of Fayette and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and use' ful Railway-Track Gage, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gages employed in adjusting railway-tracks to the proper width and level and also to denote the proper position of the rails upon curves and in similar localities, and has for its object to produce a device of this character simple in construction, durable, and convenient to use, and by means of which all the various adjustments may be made without the necessity for employing other or more complicated imple-1 ments or apparatus.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction, as hereinafter shown and described, and specified in the claims.

In the drawings illustrative of the invention, in which corresponding parts are denoted by like designating characters, Figure 1 is a side elevation with the implement applied and partially in section. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a'transverse section, enlarged, on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

The improved implement consists of a stock or body portion 10, preferably of Wood and formed with integral stops 11 12, corresponding to the gage of the track upon which the implement is to be employed. The stock member is bound upon both ends and upon its upper and lower surfaces by a metal band 13 to protect the wood from abrasion.

The rails (designated 14: and 15,respectively) upon a cross-tie 16 ot' the usual construction, the stops 11 and 12 corresponding to the gage of the track in the usual manner.

Formed in one end of the stock 10 is a vertical recess 17 of relatively narrow Width, and in this recess a curve-rail-denoting beam 18 is supported, as by a clamp-bolt 19, operating through the stock 10 and likewise through a longitudinal slot in the beam. One end of this beam 13 is provided with a lip 20 and adapted to engage the tread of one 5o of the rails 14 15, as the case may be.

The binding member 13 will be formed with a slot registering with the outer portion of the recess 17, the inner ends of the recess in the band forming a stop against which the beam 18 rests tive position, so that the lip 20 will be maintained at the proper point relative to the rail upon which it rests.

The portion of the recess 17 in the rear of the recess in the band which the beam 18 will be inserted when not in use, as shown by dotted .lines in Fig. 1.

The unrecessed portion of the band 13, which projects over the inner portion of the recess 17, thus forms a cover or closure thereto and protects the beam when in inoperative position. When not in use, therefore, the beam can be Withdrawn into its pocket and be protected thereby from contact with surrounding objects or from being in the way of 7o the other portions of the implement.

Formed in the upper Yportion of the stock 10, preferably centrally thereof and beneath the band member 1 3, is a cavity in which a casing 2l is supported, the an aperture 22 opposite the casing and of less size than the casing, so that the material of the baud contiguous to the aperture projects partially over the interior of the casing.

Within the casing a bubble-glass 23 is sup- 8o ported, with its bubble adapted to be posi' tioned opposite the center of the aperture When the gage is in its level position.

The casing 21 will preferably be of castiron, so that it will be of ample strength to protect the bubble-glass against the rough usage to which such implementsare generally subjected when in use. By this means a very compact, durable, and simply-constructed implement is produced, Which'may 9o be employed as an ordinary track-gage, a gage to denote the proper height of the rails upon curves and also to regulate the level of the track, and for all the various purposes for which such implements are usually em- 95.

ployed.

Having thus described the invention, what 1. A rail way-track gage comprising a stock having stop-lugs spaced to correspond to the loo gage of the track and provided with a longitudinal recess in one end thereof, a binding member embracing said stock and forming a shield over the inner portion of said recess,

when in its vertical or opera- 55 13 forms a pocket into 6o band 13 having 75 the binding member being slotted to corresaid binding member being slotted to correspond to the outer portion of said recess, a

hold it in proper an` pivot-pin arranged in said recess, a beam for denoting curved rail elevations having a 1ongitudinal slot through which said pivot-pin passes, said pin and said beam being so arranged that when the beam is in operative position it Will be held in proper angular relation to the stock by contact with the ends of the slot in the binding member, and means for clamping said beam in'adjusted position.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as` my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS L. HOWELL. Witnesses:

FRANK P. MILLER, FRANK P. BRITT. 

